Aside from “Dreidel, Dreidel” and Adam Sandler’s humorous tune, there are very few Hanukkah songs in the pop culture lexicon.
But a group of modern soul enthusiasts seeks to change that — and make the Festival of Lights a little bit funky, too.
Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings — a retro-sounding band that’s celebrated for its authentic Motown sound — kicks off its new album, “It’s A Holiday Soul Party,” with “8 Days of Hanukkah,” a track that’s an upbeat marriage of catchy soul music and Jewish cultural references.
In a testament to the Dap-Kings’ throwback style, the band has also released the track as a 45-revolutions-per-minute record single. The B-side asks, “What does Hanukkah mean to you?” before providing a background track without vocals, allowing listeners to sing with their own lyrics.
Several members of the Dap-Kings are known for providing the signature instrumentation for some Amy Winehouse hit tracks — including “Rehab” — on her blockbuster “Back to Black” album, which ushered in a revival of contemporary soul music. (Would we have Adele today if Amy hadn’t done it first?)
Major labels now regularly enlist the band to reproduce the sound of that album, which forgoes computer-generated sounds in favor of real instruments, heavy on the horns. Various Dap-Kings have since worked with the likes of Michael Bublé and St. Vincent. — jta